Codecs and file containers
To avoid confusion read this section to understand the differences between a codec and a file container before determining file compatibility.
Codec
is short for compressor and decompressor and represents the methods used to compress and decompress digital media files. Some codec examples are:
DivX: A video codec based on MPEG-4, part 2.
Dolby Digital: An audio codec used in DVD movies and in High-definition broadcasting.
JPEG: Used by almost all digital cameras to compress digital images.
MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4: Audio and Video codecs developed by international Standards Technical committees.
VC-1: A video codec developed by Microsoft.
A file container
contains the data stream bits and other important information about the digital media. Regardless of the codec used, digital bit streams are stored in a file container. File containers have a specific structure which helps decoders identify which codec to use for playback. File containers may also include media metadata, DRM keys, and other stream-related parameters. Some file container examples are:
AVI (.avi )
DivX (.divx)
MP4 (.mp4)
Quicktime (.mov)
WMV (.wmv)
A file container is often misrepresented as a codec. File containers may support multiple codecs. For example, Microsoft .avi file format supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DivX, and DV video codecs and a variety of audio codecs. One might think the MediaSmart can play all .avi files because an .avi file played successfully. However, if the .avi file requires a codec that MediaSmart is not capable of playing, the .avi file cannot play.
Frequently asked questions about compatibility
-
Question
: How can I share a DVD movie from my PC to the MediaSmart?
Answer
: DVD movie sharing is not supported. Due to copyright and legal requirements,
Windows Media Player does not export the VOB files used in DVDs.
However, if you have the DVD disc, you can play it
through a DVD player you connect directly to the
MediaSmart HDTV.
-
Question
: According to my User Guide, my MediaSmart should be able to playback .wmv (or .mov or .avi) files; however, it can’t play some of my files. Why is that?
Answer
: A .wmv file is a file container that supports multiple codecs; including WMV7, WMV8, and WMV9. Your MediaSmart does not support all possible codecs. For .wmv files, the MediaSmart supports WMV9 and VC-1 codecs. For .avi, it supports only MPEG-4, part 2 video streams, and for .mov it supports only the MPEG-4, part 2 or H.264 codecs. Table 1 provides additional details on the codecs and file containers that are supported by MediaSmart.
-
Question
: According to my documentation, my MediaSmart supports .divx (.ogg, etc.) files, but when I try to play these files they are not listed. Where are these files?
Answer
: The types of files exposed on your MediaSmart depend on the media server being used. For example, the WMP11 media server does not share files with extensions .m4a, .divx, .xvid, or .ogg (and others). HP includes with your MediaSmart special PC software that should allow you to view most of these files from your MediaSmart. Make sure you install the MediaSmart software suite on any PC that you want to share media from. As an alternative, you can try renaming unsupported files with a supported extension (for example, you can rename mymovie.xvid to mymovie.avi ) or use another UPnP compliant media server.
-
Question
: How can I find the type of codec that is being used in my media file?
Answer
: Play the file using Windows Media Player from the computer. Do not play a collection of files from a directory, only open one file. While the file is playing, with Now Playing selected, press the ALT
key to bring up the menu bar. Click File
and then click Properties
.
On the File tab, look at the Audio codec and Video codec section.
Figure 1: Audio and Video codec information
